Mortuos : " Through the Wilderness"

By definition this could be called a death metal super group, as it features members of Exhumed, Repulsion and Necrot. Into the first song I can tell what I like about these guys is the dark quality that finds classic sounding death metal , met with melody . It also feels like these guys give a shit about writing at song and are not just throwing me into a wall of double bass. It reminds me a little of classic Obituary, though darker and denser. Rather than John Tardy's expressive monster belch of a growl, this is lower and more guttural of a vocal approach. The guitar solo's have that Slayer like chaos to them. "Chrysalis of Sorrow" is more like death doom with it's mournfully deliberate pacing that is interspersed with double bass drive section edging up the aggression. Three songs in and I am already thinking this might be one of the best death metal albums I've heard in the first 6 months of 2018, so lets see if they can keep it up.

I might have spoken to soon as "Dead Yet Dream" comes at you with a slower gurgle, that is not as engaging as the first three songs. The doom elements work better in the ominous "Anguish & Insanity" . It speeds up into more of a death metal pace. Midway into the song it hits a cool My Dying Bride like part, though less melodramatic. The vocals do take on a more maniacal Obituary like tone. The title track finds them slowing down on the verses to create the stomp of a needed groove. While they can play at that more Morbid Angel like pace , I think it's the moments where they show restraint that are more unique to who they are . "Prisoner Unto Past" races off into a more typical break neck death metal pace. It then locks into a more grooving double bass section of what I am guessing is the verses, it's marginally more murky in the structure department.The layered shift of the guitar tone also helps set this song apart. I don't think they should have returned to the opening pace at the end, but it's not a deal breaker.

They throw the more Cannibal Corpse speed at you to end things with "Screaming Headless". Thankfully that only lasts for the first time, as it would have been tedious. The stiff drum beat to that kind of death metal is not my favorite. It does switch up into a more moody ending.  I'll round this up to an 8.5 as it sometimes plays to safely with the death metal conventions. These guys are just slower death metal with a range of emotion that sometimes extends past rage. That is more than can be for half the so-called brutal death metal bands.This comes out June 22 on Tank Crimes.

Church Of Misery : "And Then There Were None"

Here is the 6th full-length, that continues the band's tradition of penning songs about serial killers. The have a much more stoner metal sound on this one.The bassist Tatsu Mikami forges ahead with a lineup featuring Scott Carlson from Repulsion, contributing the vocals to this one. They are delivered with a Cathedral snarl. The guitars are handled by Dave Szulkin from Mark of the Devil / Blood Lust. The drums are pounded by Eric Little of Earthride. Production wise this album sounds good, it adheres to the retro sound required by this kind of thing.  The vocals are up front and add more punch to songs like "Make Them Die Slowly".  The vocals are narrated in more of a Tom Araya manner, never really committing to a full scale growl to keep the lyrics the focal point.

"Dr. Death" kicks into a more rock n roll groove. Carlson comes much closer to singing here. He doesn't go into an actual croon, but is more melodious than say Tom Warrior who is the first vocalist that comes to mind on this one. The rock n roll begins to gain the upper hand and usurp this projects metal roots on " River Demon" which is straight up rocking a full tilt boogie, past the point of Sabbath worship. They begin to enter Clutch's zip code musically, its the snarling shouts of the vocals that keep them from committing to this. They do regain some of their heft on "Confessions of an Embittered Soul". It gets darker and takes on more of a creep. It feels like if Slayer decided to become a Black Sabbath tribute band, which at this point might be a better career move. Sure the samples aid creating the ambiance, but the interlude "Suicide Journey" only teases you with what could have been a cool song.


 By the time they end it with "Murderfreak Blues" a lot is riding on them giving you the type of heavy metal payoff their legacy has promised. It is more of a curve ball with a more blues tinted groove, that is not really doomy until it builds back up. It's a more dynamic song than most and one of the albums better moments.This album is pretty good for what it is. If you want some old Sabbath like odes to serial killers and vocals are more about attitude than ability to you then you might round this up from the 8.5 I am giving it. That is above just an acceptable score into torn as to how much I might listen to this, certainly not opposed. I think it's just a case of when I am in the mood for this sort of thing I already have the position filled. If you are a fan of the band and reconciled with their more rock direction then you too will enjoy this. There's some pretty great guitar playing in places and whats not to love about serial killers?